epanorthosis Definition
- 1a rhetorical device in which a speaker or writer retracts a statement and then restates it with added force
- 2a figure of speech that involves the immediate rephrasing of a word or phrase for emphasis
Using epanorthosis: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "epanorthosis" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
'I am not happy with your work. No, I am very unhappy with your work,' is an example of epanorthosis.
Example
The epanorthosis 'I mean, the best thing to do is to just forget about it' emphasizes the importance of forgetting the issue.
epanorthosis Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for epanorthosis
Phrases with epanorthosis
a literary device used to correct or modify a statement made earlier in the text
Example
In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, Mark Antony uses epanorthosis when he says 'Brutus is an honorable man. So are they all, all honorable men.'
epanorthosis in speeches
a rhetorical device used to emphasize a point by correcting or modifying a previous statement
Example
In Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech, he uses epanorthosis when he says 'But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.'
a figure of speech used to correct or modify a statement made earlier in a conversation
Example
Person A: 'I'm not really hungry. Actually, I'm starving.' Person B: 'So, you want to get something to eat?'
Origins of epanorthosis
from Greek 'epanorthōsis', meaning 'correction'
Summary: epanorthosis in Brief
'Epanorthosis' [ɪˌpanəˈθəʊsɪs] is a rhetorical device that involves the immediate rephrasing of a word or phrase for emphasis. It is often used in literature and speeches to correct or modify a statement made earlier in the text or conversation. For example, Martin Luther King Jr. used epanorthosis in his 'I Have a Dream' speech to emphasize the continued oppression of African Americans. In everyday language, epanorthosis can be used to clarify a statement, such as 'I'm not really hungry. Actually, I'm starving.'
